Remember steroids?

I remember before the baseball season got underway, the world was coming to an end because A-rod's name was on the list of 104 players who tested positive for banned substance in 2003. Barry Bonds' name was supposedly on the list and so was Sammy Sosa. Everyone was soooo happy that two of the names on the list were of people who the media loved writing scathing articles about. Then Manny got suspended and everyone was up in arms again that all of these ballplayers cheat. Then it was "Big Papi" and everyone said that is why he went from a singles platoon hitter to "Mr. automatic" in clutch situations. His homerun numbers were microscopic at the time and the entire baseball community was devastated. Then a funny thing happened on the way to October. He started hitting homeruns and Sox fans were rejoicing that he has not gone into the tank like Manny has for the dodgers. In fact since June he has the most Home runs hit in the American league. NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT STEROIDS ANYMORE!!! Why? Is it because Big Papi is so well liked that the media is trying to protect him and his achievements? Is it because the media is afraid to find out that Pujols, Jeter or Adrian Gonzales may be on them and they don't want to lose more fans as the football season is getting into high gear? All you have to do is watch Sportscenter and know how football is already surpassing baseball as America's past time. Or is it that maybe the media realizes that fans don't care if these guys take substances any more. Winning baseball fills the seats not homerun hitters!!! it is stunning to me that steroids seem so 2008 and not 2009.

The reason why in my opinion is simple, if you are liked you get a pass in sports. Period. David Ortiz is so well liked in Boston that he would have to kill a Kennedy in order to be hated.. He does so much for charities and the community in Boston that he is revered like a senator. Plus every player in the league loves him. How many times to you see before a game him hugging an opposing player. No pitcher ever throws at him. They used to call Sean Casey "the mayor" because he socialized with all of the opposing players at first base and did not stop talking from the 1st inning to the 9th. Ortiz must be the governor. He embraces everyone. Not only that, he tried to get major league baseball to reveal what he took and they refuse so he looks like a victim. He spoke out last week reaffirming his stance that any player who fails a test today should be banned for life for the simple stupidity of taking steroids.

The sad thing is that the A-rod reason for taking steroids is the most honest baseball reason in this tragedy.. Yes he went on 60 minutes and lied to Katie Couric, I know this. The reason i say that is he said simply" i took steroids because i was trying to live up to the contract that I just signed". Can you imagine being paid 252 million dollars and really being terrible at what you do? Can you imagine if he was on the disabled list for half the season each year since signing the deal how much flack he would have taken? He stinks during the postseason everyone has commented on that. Maybe the drugs wear off at the end of the season. who knows... But if he was liked like Giambi and Ortiz the press may have given him the same pass as they have.. The sad fact is that A-rod and Manny both are not having typical years for them which is giving their critics more ammunition to criticize them. To this date no one has ever said taking steroids helps you hit a baseball. Steroids don't tell you what pitch is coming and how to decipher if a pitch is a two seam fast ball or four seam. A split or a change-up.

So the moral of this story boys and girls is be to liked, respected, and revered. your life will be made a hell of lot easier.